"Thomas Donohue" (tomonomics)
04/14/2016 at 23:54 • Filed to: None
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"Thomas Donohue" (tomonomics)
04/14/2016 at 23:54 • Filed to: None | 0
| 17 |
New 911 buyers have been overwhelmingly choosing the PDK option for quite a while now (80 to 90% depending on who you listen to at Porsche). If it’s so expensive to develop a manual transmission, then why-oh-why is the PDK the more expensive $3200 option on a 911?
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
If they nix the 6-speed in the next generation, will the base model w/PDK be $3200 more? Ahhh....I see now. In order to keep the MSRP down, they will save a few bucks by not developing a manual so they can keep the new slushbox model within $1000 or two of the last generation. Because marketing and money.
But me thinks ze Zuffenhausen boys are already planning to make the PDK standard and charge enthusiasts $5000+ more for three pedals. That will drop the percentage down to 3% or so, but then they will have the six speed trans already developed for all of the ‘special’ editions, which will be priced up in their usual stratosphere.
Whatever you do, Porsche, Don’t Nix the Six!!!
Regardless, a row-your-own 997 GTS is becoming the unicorn used Porsche of the future.
Twinpowermeansoneturbo
> Thomas Donohue
04/14/2016 at 23:57 |
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The six is a seven.
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Thomas Donohue
> Twinpowermeansoneturbo
04/15/2016 at 00:01 |
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Yes, but please don’t let facts get in the way of a cool tagline.
#dontnixthesix
Seven rhymes with nothing except maybe #seventhheaven and that sucks.
d15b
> Twinpowermeansoneturbo
04/15/2016 at 00:01 |
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1 3 5 7
2 4 6 R
Is that how this works?
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Thomas Donohue
> Twinpowermeansoneturbo
04/15/2016 at 00:03 |
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And I forgot to add that 7th is really overdrive to get the mileage numbers up.
RyanFrew
> Thomas Donohue
04/15/2016 at 00:05 |
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In order to keep the MSRP down, they will save a few bucks by not developing a manual so they can keep the new slushbox model within $1000 or two of the last generation.
Ehhhh....there is no rumor about the Boxster/Cayman losing a manual, so this doesn’t make sense. If anything, it would only increase Boxster/Cayman MSRPs, because the per-unit cost of a manual would increase.
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Thomas Donohue
> d15b
04/15/2016 at 00:06 |
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You still have to hit your knee for reverse.
Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
> Thomas Donohue
04/15/2016 at 00:07 |
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Doesn't really make sense to take 90% of your customers and give them for free what you had been charging them for just to charge 10% of your customers for an arbitrary price increase.
Mike
> Thomas Donohue
04/15/2016 at 00:12 |
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Not that I support Porsche killing their manual, but they are a business. If it makes more financial sense for them to kill the manual, then they should kill the manual. It’s a sad reality, but that’s what happens when the demographic actually buying new drivers’ cars generally doesn’t care about driving. Blame the dentist with who opted for the PDK in his base 911 instead rather than learning to drive a manual.
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Thomas Donohue
> Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
04/15/2016 at 00:18 |
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Agreed...that’s my point. They want the $3200 premium on every single car, plus the savings of not having to develop a manual.
I’m fairly certain that based on volume alone, the PDK is already cheaper to produce than the manual. But it won’t be free....what I meant to say is that the base price will rise by at least that much, and the *seven speed will command the premium.
Think of how they sold the Boxster for less money than the Cayman up until now. It was reverse-logic so they could charge more for the Cayman which was allegedly cheaper to produce without the convertible top.
Greed. Money. Who cares I still own one, and want another one.
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Thomas Donohue
> Mike
04/15/2016 at 00:31 |
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While the ‘dentists and doctors’ likely make up the majority of the PDK buyers, let’s not confuse the new PDK with the old Tiptronic. The PDK is the better performing gearbox, and many buyers choose it based on performance. It’s the enthusiasts (of which I am one) that want the involvement of the third pedal, and the shifter on the floor.
Birddog
> Thomas Donohue
04/15/2016 at 00:53 |
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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
There is this odd belief that these companies are in business for the greater good or the “Enthusiast”.
They aren’t. The only obligation they have is to the shareholders.
macanamera
> d15b
04/15/2016 at 01:23 |
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No, R is top left
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macanamera
> d15b
04/15/2016 at 01:24 |
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R 1 3 5 7
2 4 6
gin-san - shitpost specialist
> Thomas Donohue
04/15/2016 at 01:53 |
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I actually don’t care anymore. The manual v. automatic argument is overdone and silly.
In the future, I think manuals will be relegated to special editions like the 911R so that enthusiasts that matter (the ones with money) have their needs met.
Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
> Thomas Donohue
04/15/2016 at 04:11 |
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I’m glad that enough dentists, doctors, lawyers, investors, etc. still want their sticks.
Dru
> Thomas Donohue
04/15/2016 at 09:03 |
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Somewhere high up the Porsche ladder are bean counter types who want to eek out a bit more profit. Many of us who want the manual, myself included, couldn't or wouldn't buy a new Porsche anyway. They've got to make money, I guess, and I can't fault them there.
PS9
> Thomas Donohue
04/15/2016 at 09:14 |
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Porsche: Ok. We won’t kill it. But next refresh we are making it a $15,000 Option.
*one refresh later*
Porsche: Well take rates on the manual are zero now, so I guess we have to kill it. Sorry. We tried.